Multiple electrical connector



Feb. 24, 1959 L. GILBERT MULTIPLE ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR Filed Sept. 8,1955 '2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. ZEO/V Gas/m7 Feb. 24, 1959 L. GILBERTMULTIPLE ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR 2 Shets-Sheef 2 Filed Sept. 8, 1955 T z 5M y Leon Gilbert, Stamford, Conn,

circuit contact United States Patent 2,875,425 MULTIPLE ELECTRICALCONNECTOR assignor to Continental Connector Corporation, Long IslandCity, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application September 8, 1955,Serial No. 533,114 11 Claims. (Cl. 339-176) This invention relates toimprovements in multiple electrical connectors, particularly of theminiature type.

The prime object of my present invention centers about the provision ofan improved electrical'connector comprising a jack or receptacle havingmultiple miniature contact elements which jack or receptacleis adaptedor designed to receive printed circuit cards or plugs protype, "a largegroup of miniature contact elements, rang- ,mg from ten to twenty ormore, are mounted in closely spaced relation in a single receptacledesigned to receive a printed circuit board or card or similariplugcontaining a correspondingly large group of closely spaced'circuitelements adapted for mating contact with said contact elements. Themultiple connector and particularly the multiple contact elementsthereof must be so designed as to assure the eliective electricalengagement of the contacts and the closing of all of the involvedcircuits. To effectuate this in multiple electrical connectors of priormakes, the contact elements of the receptacles (or of the plugs, wherethe latter also included similar contact elements) were made to compriseleaf springs made of strip spring stock, the contact portion of whichwas bowed orbent so as to be in the path of movement of the plug contactto assure engagement therebetween. .Such engagement while effectivelyobtained, yields, however, but a line or small area contact andtherefore an inadequate electrical engagement betweenthe connectorelements.

In the improved multiple connector of the present invention, the contactelements, although -made of strip spring stock, are constructed to actas compression springs, as distinguished from leaf springs, and areconstructed in the form of a bellows, the outermost or contact branch ofwhich, preferably straight or linear in shape, is adapted to make.contactover its full face or area, as distinguished from a linecontact, with the circuit .element or contact of the printed circuitcard or other .plug. The bellows action, moreover, :makes the face ofthe contact element follow the printed circuit, preventing circuitdiscontinuities under severe vibration and printed circuit boardmisalignment due to tolerance build- .up .on the equipment in which thistype of connector is .used. Where these compression springbellowscontacts are arranged .as pairs on oppositely facing sides of theconnector, the vfurtherresult is achieved that the printed circuit cardor plug assembly is securely held resiliently in the receptacleconnector by the oppositely acting compression action of the contactpairs.

To the accomplishment of the foregoing object and such other objects asmay hereinafter appear, my invenitio'n relates to'the multipleelectrical connector "as sought "to be defined inthe appended claims'an'd described in i 2,875,425 Patented Feb. 24, 1959 the followingspecification taken together with the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a rear perspective view of the multiple electric'al connectorof the present invention showninco'mbination with aprinted circuitplugassembly, with-parts shown in cross-section;

Fig. 2 is afront perspective view of the multiple electricalconnector;

Fig. 3 is a view shown to an enlarged scale taken "in cross section in aplane corresponding to the "crosssectional part of Fig. 1 ofthedr'wings;

Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 3 and showing the manner in whichcontact is made between the contact "elements of theelectricalconnectorand-thecircuit con- 15 circuit card havingarelativelysrnall width or thickness;

tacts of a printed circuit card'or board, the said printed Fig. 5 isaview corresponding to Fig. 4 of thedra wings and showing themann'er inwhichcontact is made with aprinted circuit card or board having a Widihor thickness greater than that illustratedin Fig. 4; and

Fig. 6 is a similar cross-sectional view of an electrical connectorembodying amodification of the structure of the present invention.

Referringnow more-in detail tothedrawings and havingreferencje firsttoFigs. l to 3 thereof, the multiple electrical connector comprises ajackassembly generally designated as J adapted to receiye a printedcircuit plug assembly P or anylike plug assembly, the said jack assemblybeing provided "with a plurality or series of miniature contact elementsc, c, the-printed eircuitplu'g 'asslembly P being provided with aplurality of 'cir'ciiit elernentsor strips ,0, cthe termini of whichdefinecontact elements formatin g cooperation with the contact elementsof the'jack assembly I.

The jack assembly J comprises more specifically a receptacle l0 madeof as'inglemoldedpiece of insulation formed with a central longitudinaltrough 12 for receiving "theplug'assembly P, the said trough beingdefined by two oppositely facing walls 14 and '16, at least oneandpreferahly both of which walls are formed with plurality of pockets18, :18 spaced along the trough corresponding "innumber to the numberofcontact elements c,each contactelement being located and partiallyhousedbya pocket. The walls 14 and 16 form theinside Walls of saidpocket, the side walls or saidpocket 'being defined by ribs 20, 20-directed inwardly -of said walls. The receptacle 10 "is also formed atits top "with shoulders 22, 22 extending the lengthof the trough andwith a boss or protruberance 24 at its bottom also extending the lengthofthe trough for purposes thatwill appear hereinafter. The receptacle 10may alsobe formed with terminal lug-portions 26,26 for the reception ofattaching elements.

Each of the contactelements c, c'comprisesabellows shapedyspring unit'made'from strip spring stock such as.

spring tempered, Phosphor bronze (which maybe gold plated over silverfor obtaining low contact resistance) having three branches, aninnermost branch 28 being lodged against "the inside wall suchas'thewall 14 or'the *wall 1 60f a pocket 1'8,'an outermost branchfilldefining thecontact which is engageable bye mating contact 10f the plugassembly and an intermediate branch 32 forming a spring connectionbetween the other two branches.

The lower end, of theinner'most branch 28 of each bellows shaped contactc is anchoredasat 34 to the body of "the receptacle 1i) andthereceptacle protruding ends 36 thereof define terminal ends to whichconductors may 'be connected as by soldering. The outermost branch 30 ofthe contact is terminates at its upper end in a hook portion 38Which isengaged by and over the shoulder wall '22, the end {of the hook portionhaving a liinitedxfreetlom of movement in arecess'40iormed between saidshoulder and the outer Walls 42 of the receptacle. The wall shoulder 22forms a stop for limiting the outward movement of the top of the contactelements and the boss 24 .forms a stop for limitingthe outward movementof the bottom of the contact elements c. The action of the bellowscontacts of this multiple connector may be explained by reference toFigs. 3, 4 and 5 of the drawings.v It is tact elements 0, c arranged inoppositely facing pairs as clearly depicted in Figs. 3, 4 and 5 of thedrawings, the pockets 18, 18 in the receptacle being therefore alsoarranged in registering pairs in the oppositely facing walls .14 and 16.Fig. 3 depicts the position assumed by the contact elements 0, c in theabsence of a plug assembly, the contact branches 30, 30 being shown toprotrude a substantial distance beyond the ribs '20, 20. It will be'noted that the branch 30 of the contact element c is straight or linearin form or shape, as distinguished from being bowed or bent along itslength.

Fig. 4 illustrates the action that takes place upon the reception of aprinted circuit card P of a thickness which is relatively narrow andsubstantially less than the distance between the facing ribs 20, 20.Upon entry of the bellows, is compressed, the contact also acting as awhole as a compression spring. The result is that the electricalengagement branch 30 of the contact element 0, linear in preferred,whether a single line of contacts is provided for (Fig. 6) or whether adouble line of contacts is em-' bodied in the instrument, to have adouble line of conshape as aforesaid, makes contact over its full faceor .area as distinguished from a line contact, with the circuit element0' of the printed circuit plug. With the compression spring bellowscontacts 0, 0 arranged as pairs on oppositely facing sides of theconnector, the further result is achieved that the branch circuit cardor plug assembly is securely held resiliently in the receptacleconnector by the oppositely acting compression action of the contactelement pairs. The bellows action, moreover,

makes the face of the contact branch 30 follow the printed circuit,preventing circuit discontinuities under severe vibration and printedcircuit board misalignment due to tolerance buld-up on the equipment inwhich this type [of connector is used.

Fig 5 depicts the action that takes place upon the reception of aprinted circuit card P which is relatively wider than the thickness ofthe printed card P of Fig. 4.

For example, in a commercial structure of the connector the thickness orwidth of the printed circuit card P may be 061 inch whereas that of theprinted circuit card P may be as much as ten one-thousandths of an inchgreater, namely, .071 inch. The actions that take place in Fig. 5 of thedrawings are otherwise the same as those described for Fig. 4 of thedrawings with the exception of course that the contact elements c, c aresubjected to a greater compression. Figs. 4 and 5 taken togetherillustrate the ability of theelectrical connector to take or receiveprinted circuit cards or boards of substantially different widths orthicknesses, the contact elements functioning in all cases efiectivelyfor obtaining a full face or area contact with the plug assemblysecurely held resiliently in the receptacle connector by the compressionspring action of the contact element pairs.

Fig. 6 illustrates a modified form of the electrical connector of thepresent invention; and in this modification the oppositely facingcontacts 6 0 instead of being made in the form of two. sets of contactelements is con .structed to form a single set of contact elemc ist Tthis end the oppositely facing pairs of contact elements c 0 are joinedin a medial connecting branch 44. Otherwise the parts of the receptacleare the same as those of the form of the invention described in Figs. 1to 5, similar parts being indicated by primed reference characters.

The manner of making, the mode of operating, as well as the uses andadvantages of the multiple miniature electrical connector of the presentinvention will in the main be fully apparent from the above detaileddescription thereof. It will be further apparent that many changes maybe made in the electrical connector without departing from the spirit ofthe invention defined in the following claims.

I claim:

1. A multiple electrical connector comprising a jack assembly adapted toreceive a printed circuit plug or like assembly, said jack assemblycomprising a receptacle, said receptacle having an open-topped troughfor receiving the plug assembly defined by two oppositely facing walls,contact elements spaced from one another along said trough, said contactelements each being formed from a strip of conductive material ofsubstantially uniform thickness and resilient along substantially itsentire length, said strip comprising a plurality of sections connectedby integral reverse bends to comprise a bellows-shaped spring unit, theinnermost of said sections' being lodged against one of said troughwalls, anchored at one end to the receptacle at a point remote from theopen top of said trough and extending toward said open trough top, theoutermost of said sections defining the contact which is engageable by amating contact of the plug assembly and comprising a length of saidstrip the free terminal portion of which lies adjacent said open troughtop, the said bellows-shaped spring unit being contact active as acompression spring, whereby a full surface engagement is obtainedbetween said contact sec tion' of the unit and the mating contact of theplug assem- .bly, and an element extending into said trough, engageablewith the outermost of said sections of said contact elements at pointsremote from the open top of said trough, and limiting the movement ofsaid outermost contact element sections laterally away from saidinnermost contact element sections.

2; The multiple electrical connector of claim 1, in which said springunit comprises three sections, to wit, said innermost and outermostsections and an intermediate section forming a spring connection betweenthe upper end of said innermost section and the lower end of saidoutermost section.

3. A multiple electrical connector comprising a jack assembly adapted toreceive a printed circuit plug or like assembly, said jack assemblycomprising a receptacle, said receptacle having an open-topped troughfor receiving the plug assembly defined by two oppositely facing walls,contact elements spaced from one another along said trough, said contactelements each being formed from a strip of conductive material ofsubstantially uniform thickness and resilient along substantially itsentire length, said strip comprising a plurality of sections connectedby integral reverse bends to comprise a bellowsshaped spring unit, theinnermost of said sections being lodged against one of said troughwalls, anchored at one end to the receptacle at a point remote from theopen top of said trough and extending toward said open trough top, theoutermost of said sections defining the contact which is engageable by amating contact of the plug assembly and comprising a substantiallystraight length of said strip the free terminal portion of which liesadjacent said open trough top, the said bellows-shaped spring unit beingcontact active as a compression spring, whereby a full surfaceengagement is obtained between said contact-section of the unit and themating contact of the plug assembly, and an element extending into saidtrough, engageable with the outermost of said sections of said age-macecontact 2 elements at rpoints remote :from I the :open :top of saidtrough, and limiting ::the movement of said outermost ,contact elementsections :lateral'ly away from said innermost contact element sections.

4. The multiple electrical connector :01? claim 3, ii] which said springunit comprises three sections, to wit, "said innermostand outermostsections and an intermediiiatezsection forming a spring connectionbetweenthe up per end of said intermost section and the lower end ofsaid :outermost section.

'5. A multiple electrical connector comprising a jack Iassembly adaptedto receive a printed circuit plug or like "assembly the plug .portion ofwhich is planar and has fiat contact areas, said jack assemblycomprising a receptacle, said receptacle having a straight elongatedopen-topped trough forreceiving the plug assembly :defined by twooppositely "facing Walls, contact elements spaced from one anotheralongsaid trough, said contact elements each being formed from a strip ofthin conductive material which is resiliently flexible alongsubstantially its entire length, said'strip comprising aplurality ofsections connected by integral reverse bends to comprise a bellowsshapedspring unit, the innermost of said sections being lodged against one ofsaid trough walls, anchoredat'one end to the receptacle at a pointremote from the-open top of said trough and extending toward "said opentrough top, the outermostof said sections defining the contact whichis'engageable by a mating contact area of'the plug assembly andcomprising a length of said stripthe free terminal'portion of whichliesadjacent said open trough ftop, the surface of said strip lengthdirected to'wardthe interior of said troughfbeing flat, the'saidbellows-shaped --spring'unitbeing contact activeas a compression spring,whereby a full surface engagement is obtainedbetween :said contactsection of the unit and the mating contact area of the plug assembly,and an element extending into said trough, engageable with the outermostof said sections of said contact elements at points remote 'from the"open top of said trough, and limiting the movement of said outermostcontact element sections laterally away from said innermost contactelement sections.

6. A multiple electrical connector comprising a jack assembly adapted toreceive a printed circuit plugor like assembly the plug portion of whichis planar and has fiat contact areas, said jack assembly comprising areceptacle, said receptaclehaving-a=straight, elongated opentoppedtroug'nafor receivingtheplug assembly defined by two oppositely facingwalls, atleast one of the walls haviing a-plurality-of protrudingportions spaced along the trough, contact elements located'between saidprotruding portions, said contact'elements each being formed from-a-strip of thin conductive material which is resiliently -tlexiblealong substantially it-s entire length, said strip comprising aplurality of sections connected by integral reverse bends to comprise abellows-shaped spring unit, the innermost of said sections being lodgedagainst one of said trough Walls, anchored at one end to the receptacleat a point remote from the open top of said trough and extending towardsaid open trough top, the outermost of said sections defining thecontact which is engageable by a mating contact area of the plugassembly and comprising a substantially straight length of said stripthe terminal portion of which lies adjacent said open trough top, thesurface of said strip length directed inwardly with respect to saidtrough being flat, the said bellows-shaped spring unit being contactactive as a compression spring, whereby a full surface engagement isobtained between said contact section of the unit and the mating contactarea of the plug assembly, and an element extending into said trough,engageable with the outermost of said sec- I tions of said contactelements at points remote from the open top of said trough, and limitingthe movement of said outermost contact element sections laterally awayfrom said innermost contact element sections.

7. A multiple electrical connector comprising ajack assembly adapted toreceive a printed circuit plug or lik'e assembly the plug portion ofwhich is-planar and has flat contact areas, sai-d jack assemblycomprising a receptacle, saidreceptacle having a straight elongatedopentopped trough for receiving the plug assembly defined by twooppositely facing walls, at least one of the walls being formed with aplurality of pockets spaced along the trough, contact elements in saidpockets, said contact elements each being formedfrom a strip of thinconductive material which is resiliently flexible along substantiallyits entire length, said'strip comprising a plurality of sectionsconnected by integralreverse bends to comprise a bellows-shaped springunit, the innermost of i said sections being lodged against the insidewall of a pocket, anchored at oneend to the receptacle at a point remotefrom the open :top of said trough and extending toward said open troughtop, the outermost of said sections defining the contact which isengageable by a mating con tact area of .the plugassembly and comprisinga length of said strip the terminal portion of which lies adjacent saidopen trough top, the surface of said strip length directed toward theinterior of said trough being flat, the depth of said'pockets beinggreaterthan the combined thicknesses of said sections, the saidbellows-shaped spring unit being contact active as a compression spring,whereby-a full surface engagement is obtained between said contactsection of the unit and the mating contact area of the plug assembly,and anelement extending into said trough, engageable with the outermostof said sections of said contact elements at points remote from the opentop of saidtrough, and limiting the movement ofsaid outermost :contactelement sections laterallyaway from said innermost contact elementsections.

8. A multiple electrical connector comprising a jack assembly adaptedtoreceive a printed circuit'plug or like assembly the, plug portion ofWhiChiS planar and .has'flat contact areas, said jackassembly-comprising a receptacle,

:said receptacle having astraight, elongated open-topped trough forreceiving the plug assembly defined by two oppositely facing walls, atleast one ofthe walls being formed with a pluarlity of pockets spacedalong the comprise a bellows-shaped spring unit, the innermost of saidsections being lodged against the inside wall of a pocket, anchored atone end to the-receptacle at a point remote from the open top of saidtrough and extending toward said open trough top,the-out'ermost of saidsections defining the contact which is engage'able by a mating'contactarea'of theplug as'se'mbly an'clcomprising a substantially-straightlength of said -strip the terminal portion of which lies adjacent saidopen trough top, the surface of said strip length directed inwardly withrespect to said trough being flat, the depth of said pockets beinggreater than the combined thicknesses of said sections, the saidbellows-shaped spring unit being contact active as a compression spring,whereby a full surface engagement is obtained between said contactsection of the unit and the mating contact of the plug assembly, and anelement extending into said trough, engageable with the outermost ofsaid sections of said contact elements at points remote from the opentop of said trough, and limiting the movement of said outermost contactelement sections laterally away from said innermost contact elementsections.

9. A multiple electrical connector comprising a jack assembly adapted toreceive a printed circuit plug or like assembly, said jack assemblycomprising a receptacle, said receptacle having an open-topped troughfor receiving the plug assembly defined by two oppositely facing 7 sidewalls and a bottom wall, at least one of the side walls being formedwitha plurality of pockets spaced along the trough, contact elements onelocated in each pocket,

said contact elements each being formed from a strip of against movementlaterally inwardly of said pocket, said bottom wall having a slottherethrough, said contact element comprising an extension from saidinnermost section passing through said slot to and beyond the exteriorof said receptacle and there defining a terminal end to which anexternal circuit may be connected, said innermost section being anchoredat one end to the receptacle at a point remote from the open top of saidtrough against movement upwardly or laterally outwardly of said pocketand extending toward said open trough top, the outermost of saidsections, spaced outwardly from said inside pocket wall, defining thecontact which is engageable by a mating cont-act of the plug assemblyand comprising a substantially straight flat length of said strip thefree terminal portion of which lies adjacent said open trough top, thedepth of said pockets being greater than the combined thicknesses ofsaid sections, the said bellowsshaped spring unit being contact activeas a compression spring, whereby a full surface engagement is obtainedbetween said contact section of the unit and the mating contact of theplug assembly.

10. A multiple electrical connector comprising a jack assembly adaptedto receive a printed circuit plug or like assembly, said jack assemblycomprising a receptacle, said receptacle having an open-topped troughfor receiving the plug assembly defined by two oppositely facing sidewalls and a bottom wall, contact elements spaced from one another alongsaid trough, said contact elements each being formed from a strip ofconductive material resilient along substantially its entire length,said strip comprising a plurality of sections connected by integralreverse bends to comprise a bellows-shaped spring unit, the innermost ofsaid sections being lodged against one of said side walls and supportedby said wall along substantially its entire length against movementtoward said side wall, said bottom wall having a slot therethrough, saidcontact element comprising an extension from said innermost sectionpassing through said slot to and beyond the exterior of said receptacleand there defining a terminal end to which an external circuit may beconnected, said innermost section being anchored at one end to thereceptacle at a point remote from the open top of said trough againstmovement upwardly or laterally outwardly from said side wall andextending toward said open trough top, the outermost of said sections,

spaced outwardly from said side wall, defining the contact which isengageable by a mating contact of the plug assembly and comprising asubstantially straight flat length of said strip the free terminalportion of which lies adjacent said open trough top, the saidbellows-shaped spring unit being contact active as a compression spring,whereby a full surface engagement is obtained between said contactsection of the unit and the mating contact of the plug assembly.

11. A multiple electrical connector comprising a jack assembly adaptedto receive a printed circuit plug or like assembly, the plug portion ofwhich is planar and has flat contact areas, said jack assemblycomprising a receptacle, said receptacle having a straight elongatedopentopped trough for receiving the plug assembly defined 'by twooppositely facing side walls and a bottom wall, contact elements spacedfrom one another along said trough, said contact elements each beingformed from a strip of thin conductive material which is resilientlyflexible along substantially its entire length, said strip comprising aplurality of sections connected by integral reverse bends to comprise abellows-shaped spring unit, the innermost of said sections being lodgedagainst one of said side walls and supported by said wall alongsubstantially its entire length against movement toward said wall, saidbottom wall having a slot therethrough, said contact element comprisingan extension from said innermost section passing through said slot toand beyond the exterior of said receptacle, and there defining aterminal end to which an external circuit may be connected, saidinnermost section being anchored at one end to the receptacle at a pointremote from the open top of said trough against movement upwardly orlaterally outwardly from said side wall and extending toward said opentrough top, the outermost of said sections, spacedoutwardly from saidside wall, defining the contact which is engageable by a mating contactarea of the plug assembly and comprising a length of said strip thefreeterminal portion of which lies adjacent said open trough top, thesurface of'said strip length directed toward the interior of said troughbeing flat, the said bellows-shaped spring unit being contact active asa compression spring, whereby a full surface engagement is obtainedbetween said contact section of the unit and the mating contact area ofthe plug assembly.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS

